maskormenace

Entry tags:

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Hello, everyone! My name's Jonathan Walsh, and this is certainly an interesting alternate version of Earth we've got here, isn't it? Now, I've been here a few days, settling in, and but I figured I should come on here and get to know everyone instead of hiding away like a hermit.

Now, I've had a lot of my questions answered already, but I have one particular topic of questioning I'd like to ask you all about, and that's registration! On the surface, from what I've seen, it doesn't look like there are any downsides, but isn't that how all sales pitches go? So I'd like to hear from all of you, registered or not. How has it been? What are the upsides, downsides, neutral sides that could be potentially a pro or con to some people? I'd like to hear your thoughts!

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So far there are no downsides - unless you consider public support of USA one. [ because that's what registration means, in a way. A registered imPort is seen as someone who publicly supports this government ] To some that is enough. To be seen as having any sort of affiliation to a government they don't support doesn't always sit well. To others, it doesn't matter and the perks outweigh that.

Or, if you are a bit more paranoid, you can also believe the government might eventually use Registration to force our compliance in the future. [ but honestly, that really sounds like a crazy conspiracy theory However, he has heard it before ]

Couldn't they force our compliance anyway? I mean, it's not like they don't have access to information on who we are and what we can do, as well as nanites literally in our bodies.

The Russians tried it. It was a huge mess. People with superpowers usually make things very messy, specially when force is used on us.

I suppose the government wants us to be volunteers rather than forcing anything on us because they know it'll make things a lot more complicated for everyone.

Well, since I don't think that becomes any less true if we register, I think I'll take my chances on the possibility of an insidious reason behind it.

So...did you register?

I was registered for two years, but currently I don't like the idea to be affiliated with a government. So I have unregistered. [ it's a personal choice. Rather than a reason he can use to tell others why to remain unregistered, it's based on Kaneki's own life and situation ]

So far so good. Apart from the perks, nothing has changed.

Well, I'm a huge fan of perks for nothing, so I think I know which I'll choose.

And no one would blame you for it. It's one of the biggest reasons why people register, and not because there is some heroic meaning to it.

It's the first question anyone asks, [ says the man on the screen with a roll of his eyes, but in fairness, he looks like the sort of little man who rolls his eyes often. ] To which I can say - no, there aren't any downsides. People keep worrying about Registration coming back to bite them in the ass, but it's not as though it's a magical contract you'll have to respect no matter what they do to it.

Hm...really? Let me look. One guy asking where some people are, one guy asking why he's here when he should be in some battle...nope, don't see any of the new arrivals asking the same question in recent history. But no, I wasn't worried about it, just wondering if I'd missed something. I mean, Contract Writing 101 is if you're the one writing the contract, always skew it in your favor. It's only natural to want to make sure you're not missing something when someone is doing the opposite of that.

Ooooh, someone's defensive. [ He even does cat claws at the camera which, from a man like Rusty (bald, nasal voice, looks like he weighs enough that even the most average man could toss him across the football field), is one of the least pleasant things anyone could unfortunately bear witness to. Sorry, Jonathan. ] So terribly sorry that I've offended you.

[ He does not, unsurprisingly, look very sorry. ]

I would be careful about trusting who you ask about it around here too. That may be rule one of contract writing, but we imPorts have our own agendas.

What...[What was that gesture, even? Okay, whatever.]

Yes, believe me, I know all about people having their own agendas. Fortunately, surveying a large group should make it easier to spot anyone whose claims don't line up with the rest.

So? What's your conclusion?

The pros of registration greatly outweigh the cons.

So, what you're saying is... I was right. Yes?

Eh...technically? But honestly, I was leaning toward that before I even posted, I just wanted to make sure I hadn't overlooked anything.

All I'm hearing is plenty of words that all mean you were right.

You know what? Fine. Yes. You were right.

Now, that wasn't so hard, was it? Good luck with that. Toodles!

[ And with that, Jonathan is freed from the asshole as he hangs up. ]

[He is so grateful.]

The upsides far outweigh the downsides. And, lest you mistake this for enthusiasm, I'll assure you: I'm hardly enthusiastic. It's just that we are asked to do relatively little, and we're paid a small wage for it. And in exchange, we include our name on some list, which we can be removed from.

Anyone who finds that troubling has never truly sworn a binding vow.

Good to know. I'm honestly just surprised that they were offering a fairly good deal in exchange for practically nothing.

A fact that some men would meet with suspicion. And do.

Well, I can hardly blame them for that.

Oh, I don't know. They could have some blame, I think. A deal like that looks suspicious on its face, I'll grant you that, but considering our options, it's at least a deal.

You say that like being stranded in a world that's not your own and no way to get home is some sort of desperate situation where you have to take any deal you're given.

Not any deal, surely. But given the options, where one is allying with the true power of this country, and the other is not, presumably in protest--I think the choice comes quite clear.

And that's leaving out the benefits, which we are continually reminded and assured of.

Of course. And I agree, it's just that the way you put it made our situation sound so much more dire than it is.

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